DMK working president M K Stalin and DMDK supremo Vijayakanth among other leaders have hit out at the government and the police for the recent attack on protesters at Kathiramangalam, who were agitating against exploration activities of ONGC.

Stalin urged the Tamil Nadu government to release those arrested in connection with protests held recently at a village in Thanjavur district against “leak” in an ONGC pipe line.

Demanding the immediate release of villagers, Stalin said the police personnel deployed in Kathiramangalam should be withdrawn at once.

A protest against “leak” in an ONGC pipe at Kathiramangalam near Thanjavur turned violent as locals and activists clashed with police officials, prompting them to baton charge the protesters which left several persons, including two policemen, injured.

Vijayakanth said in a statement here that the attack is strongly condemnable as the people were only fighting for their rights.

“They were only conducting peaceful protests,” he said. Other leaders such as MDMK general secretary Vaiko and CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan have already condemned the incident.